Russia Releases American Teacher After Trump Engagement
Source reports published 21 Oct 2026, 7:43 pm – 7:44 pm AEST
President Donald Trump secured the release of Stephen Hubbard, a retired U.S. teacher imprisoned in Russia for fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. The release followed a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin and a proposed peace proposal from the United States.
What happened
- President Donald Trump facilitated the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American teacher, from Russian custody.
- This occurred after a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin, as reported by Trump via Truth Social.
- Hubbard was imprisoned in Russia for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for the Ukrainian military, a charge rejected by his sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox.
- Steve Witkoff, U.S. envoy, stated that Putin viewed Hubbard’s release as a ‘humanitarian’ act.
- Negotiations were ongoing in Saint Petersburg, involving Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, and Ukrainian representatives, with the aim of restarting discussions on peace talks and potentially restoring diplomatic ties.
- The United States had imposed sanctions on Russia, which Trump reportedly eased to facilitate the release.